


right where you belong

by crossbelladonna



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: M/M, from a prompt!, meeting in the E.R/A&E au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-31
Updated: 2015-11-19
Packaged: 2018-04-29 04:09:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,572
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5115281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crossbelladonna/pseuds/crossbelladonna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hajime gets up to pick up his papers and finds someone already there, picking it up and offering it to him politely.<br/>Hajime gapes. Said someone is slightly taller than him with soft curly brown hair and brown eyes as bright as his smile which is kind of brighter than the lights at the moment. He’s leaning on a cane and there’s a white knee supporter wrapped around his left knee.<br/>“Yours?” he offers and Hajime finds the strength to take his papers back and smile shakily.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. i forgot my name...

**Author's Note:**

> ok so i did those prompt ask meme in tumblr and i got this prompt [**15.** meeting in the E.R/A &E au](http://hanamaki.co.vu/post/132221911651/fanoftheprofoundbond-send-me-one-of-these) and it's a drabble! it was supposed to be a drabble!! i got carried away so it's no longer a drabble som eoe n sto p these han ds
> 
> anyway enjoy hehe  
> (this is for u anon)
> 
>  **update:** now with art omg  
> [it's here!](https://twitter.com/meltymozzarella/status/678291802101702656) i c r y (by [claraina](https://twitter.com/meltymozzarella/) (12/20/15) thank!!

“Yeah, mom I’m actually fine. Don’t worry too much.”

Hajime sighs into his phone, already exasperated. It’s hard to maneuver around with his entire right arm in a cast and his left hand preoccupied with the several papers the doctors had handed to him and he’s already cramping what with his phone pinched between his cheek and shoulder.

“Hajime, I’m really worried though. What did I say about bicycles?”

He can hear his mother’s voice echoing in his head. 

_Hajime watch for the road. If you have another rider, be even more careful. Always look out for manholes and humps._

The last bit was largely forgotten however and he can’t help but make a face looking back at it. Takahiro had been with him here moments ago since he was partly the reason why he’s here at the moment. He had hitched a ride with him in his bike, singing loudly and then he was shouting something noisily in Hajime’s ear and Hajime had only belatedly realized that he was shouting  _MANHOLE_ and the front wheels had crashed into it and they had both tumbled out of the bicycle together.

For some unfortunate reason, Takahiro only got minor bruises and abrasions. Hajime had gotten the worse part of the accident what with his fractured radius and sprained upper arm. What’s more, Takahiro had to leave for work so he’s stuck here struggling to fill out papers with his  _left hand._

He’s been mumbling,  _I have to teach my children to be ambidextrous_  for the past few minutes until his mother had called.

“Yeah, I was careless,” Hajime tells her.

“How is Takahiro-kun?”

“Doing better than me at least—oh fuck— _heck._ Heck, sorry,” Iwaizumi grumbles loudly as a few sheets papers he’s been holding flies off a few steps away.

“Hajime?” he can almost see his mother’s confused frown.

“Sorry,” he amends. “Mom, can you call back later? I’m trying to fill up something and it’s kind of hard with my left hand…and my papers sort of has a grudge on me at the moment.”

Hajime hears his mother sigh. 

“Alright. Be careful on your way home, okay?”

“Mom I’m an adult, I can do things.”

“Of course you can, and yet you’re in the hospital. I love you, honey.”

_Fair point._

“Love you too—ah,”

Hajime gets up to pick up his papers and finds someone already there, picking it up and offering it to him politely.

Hajime gapes. Said someone is slightly taller than him with soft curly brown hair and brown eyes as bright as his smile which is kind of brighter than the lights at the moment. He’s leaning on a cane and there’s a white knee supporter wrapped around his left knee.

“Yours?” he offers and Hajime finds the strength to take his papers back and smile shakily.

“Yeah, thanks a lot.”

“No problem. You seem like you needed the help.” 

Hajime can’t tell if that’s only mere observation or there’s going to be a genuine offer of help afterwards but he keeps his mouth shut.

“So do you,” he comments and the other guy laughs. He limps toward the bench not too far across Hajime and takes a careful, calculated seat.

“Right, but I still can write at least,” he says, amused. “But I can help with that if you want.”

“It’s fine, thanks. I don’t want to inconvenience you.” Hajime says stubbornly, going back to the complicated process of trying to write with his left hand.

“It’s Tooru, actually.” Other guy says smugly and Hajime raises an eyebrow at him. “Tooru Oikawa, because I’m friendly.”

“Friendly enough to offer help to right-handed strangers huh?”

Tooru chuckles. “It’s just because I’m used to talking to strangers. It’s not really that much of a magic trick.”

Hajime studies him for a moment and then glances at his ugly ass left-hand penmanship.

“Hajime Iwaizumi.” He says, finally.

“There we go, Hajime,” Tooru sounds pleased. “Now do you need my help after all?”

Hajime pretends to think about it to give his ego a boost. 

“Maybe.”

Tooru grins. “Hand them over, then.”

Hajime walks over to him ( _at least he still has the use of his legs,_  he thinks) and hands the papers to Tooru singlehandedly before sitting beside him with a considerate space.

“Oh my, this is a mess,” Tooru comments when he looks them over.

“Please don’t.”

Hajime hears a giggle. “I’ll just copy what you’ve written to a new one,”

“You know I’m probably being a big bother.” This guy has got to have a doctor’s appointment too right? Has got to be immediate too what with him being in here.

“It’s alright though. I offered didn’t I? Let me be a Good Samaritan now and then...oh we’re the same age,” Another satisfied giggle.

“Hold on a second you’re probably one of those people trying to steal information from other people so they can sell it,” Hajime sounds doubtful for a second though looking at Tooru’s grinning face somehow banishes the suspicion.

“Nice guess,” Tooru tells him, flipping to page two now. “I’m an athlete, actually,” he points to his knee. “That’s why I mess this up a lot.”

“That’s unhealthy,” Hajime says.

Tooru raises an eyebrow. “Is it? What happened to your arm then?”

“My friend was being a noisy and I didn’t see the manhole,”

“Sounds kind of complicated out of context but I’m sure there’s an appropriate context in there somewhere to which I will not pry,”

Hajime feels like choking.

“I meant, I fell off a bicycle because my friend was being stupid.”

Tooru’s smile is definitely teasing.

“I didn’t say anything,”

Hajime wants to smack him for some reason.

“I don’t see your friend,” Tooru says out of nowhere.

“He has work and had to leave.”

Tooru raises his eyebrows. “He got off okay? Sounds kind of unfair.”

Hajime hides a smile with his hand.

“Yeah, a little.”

Tooru chuckles. “Tell him that I said he’s unfair.”

“I mean, I don’t actually want anybody hurt are you secretly a murderer? I kind of want those papers back.”

“Too late, I have already memorized every piece of information, Atty. Iwaizumi,” Tooru jokes lightheartedly, beaming as he hands Hajime his already (and neatly) filled up papers.

Hajime’s heart is doing a satisfying little trick with Tooru’s little joke.

“Not yet, actually,” he tells him.

Tooru shows him a thumbs up. “But getting there, good job.”

“Aren’t you enthusiastic?”

“You have to be for the people who can’t write too well.”

Hajime wants to make a retort but he’s looking over his papers written so well and cleanly he almost feels bad for himself.

“Here’s the one you failed to finish by the way,” Tooru hands him the rest of his papers graciously.

“Hey, thanks a lot,” Hajime tells him, honest for once and Tooru winks at him.

“No problem.”

“Oikawa Tooru-san?”

They both turn their heads and see a nurse walking up to them with a clipboard. She points to Tooru importantly and Tooru waves at her and begins to stand. Hajime reflexively holds out a hand to help and Tooru merely chuckles at him, “It’s okay, Hajime, thank you.” he says.

“Well then, I’ll hear from you,” Tooru tells him and Hajime doesn’t really understand this but he’s being blinded by his smile again so he nods dumbly.

“Watch out for manholes next time,” Tooru adds.

“I’ll tell my friend that.” Hajime says, laughing.

Tooru smiles at him one more time before turning away.

And then he pauses to look back at him again, a curious expression on his face.

“Say, I have a random question,” Tooru wants to know and Hajime tilts his head, waiting. “Do you…er, watch television…like the news maybe? Or…read magazines of sorts?”

 _Oh._ Uh…

Hajime looks sheepish. “I don’t really…I mean I’m busy with law school and…”

Tooru laughs cheerily. “Oh, no, no. It’s okay,” another expression passes his face and Hajime can only say it as pleased. “Just wondering. See ya!”

Hajime would be lying to himself if he’d say he wasn’t looking when Tooru walks away.

 

***

 

Hajime passed his medical papers to a nurse as quickly as he could, having stowed away his first failure of a paper what with his handwriting and had immediately made his way home which was thankfully, uneventful.

He talks to Takahiro the next day feeling much though he’s already grumbling about how heavy his cast is and Takahiro had the nerve to make fun of him.

“I mean, it adds to your aesthetic,” Takahiro says from where he’s standing by the stove.

“I’ll show you aesthetic when I get this cast off and I kick your ass.” Hajime assures him.

“I’m sure Issei will back me up on this,” Takahiro points a spatula at him. “Get your big beefy arms away, sir. My boyfriend will come for you.”

“Shut up, Takahiro.”

Takahiro sticks his tongue out at him.

“You know what, make yourself comfortable and nicer by waiting in the living room the TV is on you loser.”

“Why are we roommates again? Oh yes because you’re paying for the electricity, nice.”

“You’re such an asshole—”

“ _And we’ve got news from Japan’s Top Setter, Oikawa Tooru!_ ”

Now that the TV is mentioned, sounds coming from it seems clearer and somehow he hears that one line and Hajime goes stiff, inhaling sharply.

Did he just hear—

_Do you watch television? Magazines perhaps?_

“HOLY FUCK,” Hajime yells, startling Takahiro who jumps.

“What the fuck is your damage!” he shouts back as he watches Hajime run to the living room like he’s not injured or anything.

Tooru is on the news.

Or rather, he’s probably _always_ been since apparently—

“He’s an _athlete,_ ” Hajime says to himself.

“Who’s an athlete?” Takahiro calls out.

In Hajime’s defense, athlete could mean anything. He wouldn’t immediately think that meant he’s the national volleyball team’s _top setter._

_I mess my knee up a lot._

“Oh my god,” Hajime says.

Tooru apparently, has hurt his knee again and would mean he’d take a few week’s break off of practice which, according to a news anchor Hajime has literally not seen before, had taken a toll on him.

 _And yet he was smiling._ Celebrities, man.

A picture of a smiling Tooru comes on screen and Hajime’s chest is doing the funny little tricks again though this smile of his is a little off and not as bright as he remembers.

“What’s gotten into you?” Takahiro walks into the room and Hajime faces him.

“My friend says you’re unfair,” Hajime tells him and Takahiro is once again taken aback.

“What did _I do_ —”

What else did Tooru say? Why does everything need to be so cryptic and complicated?

_I’ll hear from you!_

Hajime stops breathing.

“My paper!” he shouts and Takahiro has a deadpan look to his face as he watches Hajime run to his room.

Hajime almost stumbles again as he digs into the bag he brought with him yesterday and finds the paper he had unceremoniously crumpled to hide his shame of a handwriting but he manages to straighten it with one hand and at the back of it, as he suspected is a neatly written _Hi_ inside a small heart, a row of numbers following underneath it.

Maybe a little handwriting hardship is not too bad.


	2. ...can you call me yours?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Tooru turns at the same time Hajime looks up and this time he’s sure their eyes will meet and—  
> Tooru breaks into a dazzling smile, laughing to himself and despite the distance, Hajime can almost hear the chime of his laughter. His heart is doing a little dance at this point and he’s trying to grip his phone hard enough to squish the butterflies in his stomach but he can’t stop smiling back at him nevertheless as though there aren’t any people around. And even then when they’ve only got a few seconds before Oikawa has to go, they manage to feel like hours.  
>  _Hi_ , Tooru mouths and Hajime laughs in spite of the loud cheering of the crowd.  
>  _Hi_ , Hajime mouths back to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i mean,,,, you asked for a chapter 2 here's the chapter 2 ayyey
> 
> many thanks to kira (@simple-symphonia) for beta-ing!! BD

Tooru basically screeches when he first reads the message from an unknown number, scaring everyone in the team as they’re changing out of their jerseys.

 

RECEIVED [UNKNOWN NO.]

_Your smile isn’t as bright as it is on tv._

Tooru screeches again, nearly dropping his phone this time and the rest of the team glance at him before cautiously returning to what they were doing. Better leave out of the captain’s sketchy businesses—

“So, are aliens invading?” Tetsurou asks him conversationally as he shrugs on his jacket, the embroidered insignia of the national team tactfully hidden on the right side of his chest by a towel.

“It’s gotta take more than that to have Tooru screaming,” Koushi comments, chuckling as he zips up his bag.

Tooru sinks onto a bench, completely forgetting about changing out of his sweaty clothes, more preoccupied with staring at the sentence he just received trying to analyze every aspect of it up close.

_I GAVE HIM MY NUMBER IT’S HIM!!!!_

_MY SMILE?_

_He saw my number and texted me._

_He saw me on tv—_

_HE THINKS MY SMILE IS BRIGHT!!!!_

“…kind of weird how he’s staring at his phone intently with that creepy smile,”

“Tetsu! That’s mean.”

“I mean, I’m just saying…”

“Suga-chan, he texted me!” Tooru peals, flapping around his legs excitedly.

Koushi smiles at him patiently though he has no idea what’s going on. He tilts his head.

“Oh really? Who did?”

Tooru’s cheeks are flushed.

“My…” Oh. “…friend.”

Tetsurou narrows his eyes suspiciously and stage whispers, “He’s not even sure,” to Koushi.

Tooru ignores him. He notices the room emptying out as their other teammates flee to escape his whining and for once he’s not thoroughly upset about this.

“I went to the ER three weeks ago right,” Tooru tells them, his tone excited.

Tetsurou looks even doubtful. “How is this a good memory?”

“Oh, Tooru! Did you hit on someone there?” Koushi says fretfully. “You know what I said about hitting on strangers…”

“I didn’t hit on him oh my god!” _Well maybe a little—_ “His right arm was in a cast and he couldn’t write so I offered to help.”

“Then you hit on him,” Tetsurou grins.

“I didn’t!” Tooru squeals indignantly as Koushi and Tetsurou burst into laughter.

“You didn’t but you gave him your number?” Koushi says.

Tooru shrugs. “Well it seemed appropriate.”

“Because you were flirting,” Tetsurou pipes up again and Tooru thumbs at the screen of his phone, smiling as he ignores him.

“Did you know he goes to law school?” he tells them.

It’s a little satisfying to hear his friend’s groans of exasperation.

 

***

 

RECEIVED [Oikawa Tooru]

_\- ajsiufi3hoTsfjk_

_\- FUCK sorry i was thumbing the screen and i_

_\- is this Hajime Iwaizumi? iwa-chan?_

_\- you have to force a smile for the CAMERA btw_

_\- not actually that enthusiastic about cameras but my autocorrect—_

Hajime bolts upright in a start, almost kicking the bowl of popcorn by his feet and nearly kneeing Issei who’s sitting on the floor and leaning on the couch, on the face with his other leg.

“What the fuck,” Takahiro says casually, looking up from where he’s lying down on Issei’s lap. Issei, meanwhile doesn’t seem to be that bothered.

Hajime mumbles an unintelligible response, curling into himself and hugging his knees as he reads Tooru’s reply again and again, all his focus on the movie they had been watching disappear.

“Hmm,” Issei hums and Takahiro sits up on one elbow, grinning maliciously at Hajime.

“It’s that crush of his again—”

“Shut up, Takahiro,” Hajime says pleasantly, eyes not leaving his phone.

“What crush?” Issei wants to know and Takahiro happily supplies him with details because he is nosy.

It isn’t _technically_ a crush, Hajime wants himself to believe. It’s more of a small nagging voice with a bright smile and he may or may not have googled the owner of said bright smile a few (several) times, mumbling eloquent words of _holy_ shit each time.

_He replied!!_

But Iwa-chan. What the hell though.

 

SENT [Oikawa Tooru]

_no iwa-chan._

Tooru had taken a good five hours to reply to him for the first text and Hajime isn’t supposedly counting though he starts to dread that maybe he had texted when he was busy then and he’s probably busy now and he shouldn’t have bothered to reply—

 

RECEIVED [Oikawa Tooru]

_iwa-chan seems appropriate when your arm is in a cast and you can’t pinch my nose or smthn in annoyance~_

Hajime almost whoops when his phone vibrates but he doesn’t since he’s a mature and sensible adult unlike some people who’re sitting on the floor when there’s a couch, at the moment.

He grins though and glances at his right arm. It’s no longer in a cast though his forearm is still bandaged.

“You seem rather delighted looking at your injury,” Issei quips and Hajime rolls his eyes at him.

“He’s texting that celebrity boyfriend of his,”

“Mind your own business, Takahiro, oh my god.”

Takahiro snorts.

“He’s just an acquaintance,” Hajime tells him. Or maybe he’s reassuring himself.

“Don’t they all start from there,” Takahiro makes a big show of winking at Issei lasciviously.

“Gross,” Hajime tells them without much bite.

 

SENT [Oikawa Tooru]

_it’s not in a cast anymore._

RECEIVED [Oikawa Tooru]

_oh! that’s great! i showed it to my friend and he said congrats._

SENT [Oikawa Tooru]

_are you…in practice? are you actually texting during practice?_

RECEIVED [Oikawa Tooru]

_\- you texted me first though!_

_\- but i’m not in practice_ (○ﾟε＾○)v♪

SENT [Oikawa Tooru]

_am i even allowed to text you?_

RECEIVED [Oikawa Tooru]

_why not!!!_

SENT [Oikawa Tooru]

_i could be a person selling other people’s information_

RECEIVED [Oikawa Tooru]

 _i thought_ **i** _was the person selling other people’s information? /:)_

SENT [Oikawa Tooru]

_well, you know._

RECEIVED [Oikawa Tooru]

_i know a great deal about you too you know! Hajime “Iwa-chan” Iwaizumi born on June 10 only child of Aiha and—_

Hajime feels his face heat up, embarrassed. Okay so what if he remembers all that it shouldn’t matter anymore. Hajime leaps off the couch and treads out to the porch where it’s cooler and quieter and quickly dials Tooru’s number.

Tooru is giggling when he answers.

“Don’t be creepy,” Hajime tells him easily.

Tooru sounds like he’s grinning. There’s a distinct noise on his end, people mumbling and talking.

“Too creepy?” he teases.

Hajime scoffs, rising up to the challenge.

“Well I’ve looked you up too, Oikawa Tooru captain of the Japanese national volleyball team, born July 20 and younger brother of—”

Tooru laughs gleefully. “Okay! Fine, not too creepy then,” he says, muttering _the internet these days_ aside and Hajime snorts.

The talking on Tooru’s end fades and Hajime hears hurried footsteps.

“I got out so I can hear you better!” Tooru explains.

Hajime rubs the back of his neck.

“Are you…busy?”

Tooru’s reply is immediate.

“Wha—no, Iwa-chan!”

“No Iwa-chan.”

“Ehh…”

“How’s your knee?”

Tooru hums a surprised breath.

“It’s, well it’s better now.” He says.

Hajime exhales, leaning against the railing.

“Just a friendly advice, it’s not heroic to overwork yourself you should get some rest.”

Tooru is smiling again.

“Are we friends now?”

“I take it back,”

“Nooo, wait—”

Hajime finds himself laughing.

“I was being serious though, Tooru?”

The wind is cool, pleasant against Hajime’s warm cheeks and warm hands an d Tooru’s smiling voice makes the night seem more cozy and his heart’s aflutter.

“Thank you, Hajime,” Tooru tells him.

 

SENT [Iwa-chan ♥]

_Tetsurou was being mean today!_

SENT [Tooru]

_\- Tetsurou?_

_\- oh your middle blocker._

_\- you should listen to him._

SENT [Iwa-chan ♥]

_maybe he’s jealous of me_

SENT [Tooru]

_somehow i doubt it_

SENT [Iwa-chan ♥]

_why are you so like this..?_

_\---_

SENT [Tooru]

_you were on tv today_

SENT [Iwa-chan ♥]

_DID YOU SEE ME!!_

SENT [Tooru]

_that's why i said you were on tv today_

SENT [Iwa-chan ♥]

_did i look good ;)_

SENT [Tooru]

..

_don’t you always?_

Hajime doesn’t send it.

 

\---

 

SENT [Iwa-chan ♥]

_GOOD MORNING IWA-CHAN!!_

SENT [Tooru]

 _-_ _♡♡♡ it is me I am Iwa-chan ♡♡♡_

 _\- what the_ fuck

_\- sorry that was my roommate let’s pretend that never happened_

SENT [Iwa-chan ♥]

_Iwa-chan has a roommate? /:)_

SENT [Tooru]

_an annoying one._

Hajime picks up a lot of things from him somehow, his teammates too. He learns that it’s a habit of theirs to take Mondays off and Tooru spends the entire day watching tv. He learns that Tetsurou steals his hair products and Koushi admonishes him most of the time. He learns how tough their practices for the day were gauging Tooru’s repeated complaints.

In return, Hajime tells him about his days. How stressful school is becoming everyday into the semester. How annoying his roommate can be accompanied by his boyfriend. How he dislikes milk bread after all much to Tooru’s disbelief. Tooru seems to enjoy even the most mundane things it’s rather amusing it’s—

(— _adorable._ )

 

SENT [Tooru]

 _i saw you on_ Volleyball Monthly _today._

RECEIVED [Tooru]

_\- :DDDDDD_

_\- was it good?_

_\- did i look okay ehehe_

SENT [Tooru]

eh

RECEIVED [Tooru]

_WHAT DOES THAT MEAN????_

Hajime smirks, holding up the copy of the magazine he bought today, almost hurriedly too he remembers, having almost choked when he saw Tooru’s face on the cover.

He’s smiling dazzlingly, holding a ball to his side while his teammates are behind him. Hajime doesn’t recognize them but feels he doesn’t need to anyway. Humorously, he covers Tooru’s face with his thumb as he’s holding it up and quickly snaps a picture.

SENT [Tooru]

_very adorable lmao._

RECEIVED [Tooru]

 _Iwa-chan_ ლ(ಥ Д ಥ )ლ

_***_

RECEIVED [Tooru]

_we’re going to Saitama today!_

The pen Hajime’s holding almost flies out of his hand when he squeezes it hard.

 

SENT [Tooru]

_what why_

RECEIVED [Tooru]

 _we have a practice match, Iwa-chan_ s( ^ ‿ ^)-b

SENT [Tooru]

_WHERE??_

RECEIVED [Tooru]

_\- whoaaaa_

_\- the central gym, you know the biggest?_

SENT [Tooru]

_I’m from Saitama._

RECEIVED [Tooru]

_\- and we’re on our way_

_\- WAIT YEAH HOLD ON A SECOND_

_\- SEE ME_

“HIRO!” Hajime yells as Takahiro passes by, on his way to the kitchen and nearly drops a bowl of lettuce.

“Some people like peace and quiet,” he says in distaste.

“I want to go to the gym today.”

“Have fun.”

“Come with me.”

“No, Jesus Hajime what are you—”

“It’s an _emergency,_ ”

“It’s so humid out and you want to play volleyball?!”

Hajime grins at him.

“I won’t tell Issei about the one time you threw out the chocolates he gave because you’re allergic.”

“ _Dammit, Iwaizumi_ ,” Takahiro growls, setting down the bowl of lettuce on the counter with more force than necessary before stomping off to his room to change and Hajime bursts into laughter.

 

 

RECEIVED [Iwa-chan ♥]

_well…yeah i could do that. it’s just a walk from where i live anyway._

“Tooru, please—I, too am trying to—text my way into my own romance— _If you would just stop fucking shaking me—_ ”

“Tetsu-chan! He’s gonna come see me!” Tooru peals, giving Tetsurou another good shake much to the latter’s annoyance.

“Are you sure you didn’t force him…?”

“Tetsu!”

Koushi and Morisuke peer at them both curiously from the seats opposite from theirs.

“Is it that one crush he keeps talking about?” Morisuke whispers aloud and Koushi merely chuckles.

“Wow,” Morisuke whistles. “Shameless. Does the other boy know?”

Koushi grins. “Hopefully.”

“You know I already slightly regret sitting beside you,” Tetsurou informs Tooru as he waves his phone around Tetsurou’s face so he’ll see.

He sees alright.

Tetsurou smothers Oikawa with one of the headrest pillows and he squeals again. The coach turns in his seat, all the way from the front to look at them both, frowning slightly and shaking his head though he doesn’t seem to be mad.

“I get it already, I get it!” Tetsurou says, mussing Tooru’s hair to make him stop.

 

 

RECEIVED [Tooru]

_iwa-chan you’ll tell me where you are right?? RIGHT?_

Hajime makes a face.

“What the FUCK, Hajime why are there so many people at the entrance?” Takahiro grumbles behind him.

“The national team is coming to practice,” Hajime replies, face close to his phone as he focuses on typing.

“Huh,” Takahiro mumbles distractedly.

They both stop at the edge of the crowd and watch as a bus arrives at the same time Hajime’s phone vibrates again.

 

RECEIVED [Tooru]

_IWA-CHAN!!_

SENT [Tooru]

_why are you still texting me lmao_

“Let me out let me out let me out let me ou—”

“Jesus, Tooru calm down.”

Tetsurou grabs his arm and goes, “Find your chill for once in your life.”

He looks about to cry petulant tears when the coach goes along with Tetsurou’s teasing and lets the younger players alight first much to their amusement.

 

Hajime looks up when Takahiro tugs on his jacket going, “There they are.”

A few players wearing dark red jackets come out of the bus and then there’s loud squealing from somewhere ahead of them. Hajime doesn’t see Tooru yet but his heart is already pounding.

Unbelievably, his phone vibrates one more time.

 

RECEIVED [Tooru]

_i don’t see you :(_

Hajime snorts.

 

SENT [Tooru]

_you’re not even out yet lol_

There’s another bout of screaming and Hajime looks up to Tooru being towed on both sides by a messily haired teammate and a gray-haired one, both grinning at Tooru teasingly as he’s pouting at his phone.

Hajime’s heart is in his chest, in his ears, and in his hands as his phone vibrates again because Tooru’s still _on his fucking phone._

“Hey isn’t that your friend?” Hajime hears Takahiro say and he quirks a private smile that makes Takahiro yell in realization.

“You’re here for your friend you sly fuck!” he sneers.

 

RECEIVED [Tooru]

_what are you wearing? ;)_

SENT [Tooru]

_dumbass_

RECEIVED [Tooru]

_D:_

Hajime sees Tooru tapping away at his phone as he looks around wildly, a serious scrunch in his forehead that makes Hajime want to laugh.

 

SENT [Tooru]

_why are you still on your phone wtf_

RECEIVED [Tooru]

_but where are you :(_

Tooru is looking in the other direction, pouting once again. His warm brown curls are a little tousled from when his teammates were dragging him but now they’ve let go, Tooru’s running a hand through it. Hajime can see Tooru’s green shirt underneath his red jacket, obvious alien prints all over it.

 

SENT [Tooru]

_I like your shirt lmao_

Tooru’s gaze sweeps around the crowd, still not finding him yet and Hajime chuckles.

 

SENT [Tooru]

_a little to the right._

Tooru turns at the same time Hajime looks up and this time he’s sure their eyes will meet and—

Tooru breaks into a dazzling smile, laughing to himself and despite the distance, Hajime can almost hear the chime of his laughter. His heart is doing a little dance at this point and he’s trying to grip his phone hard enough to squish the butterflies in his stomach but he can’t stop smiling back at him nevertheless as though there aren’t any people around. And even then when they’ve only got a few seconds before Oikawa has to go, they manage to feel like hours.

 _Hi_ , Tooru mouths and Hajime laughs in spite of the loud cheering of the crowd.

 _Hi_ , Hajime mouths back to him.

“Captain, catch up!” One of Tooru’s teammates shout to him and there’s a slight second of panic in Tooru’s face before he waves at Hajime enthusiastically and running off to catch up with his team.

Even when he’s gone inside, Hajime feels clammy. He turns to Takahiro to tell him they have to watch the practice match and he finds him talking on the phone.

“—listen, Issei I’ve just witnessed really obvious, really graphic oblivious flirting and frankly I am disgusted—”

Hajime aims a kick at him.

“Shut up, Makki.”

 

***

 

Hajime sees Tooru practically sparkle with confidence on court. He stays in the upper bleaches with Takahiro and Issei whom he’s called over so that he, as he says, “won’t be subjected to Hajime’s hopeless romanticism” which promptly got him another smack.

Tooru is amazing, Hajime finds himself thinking multiple times in the course of the match. He’s seen him play on screen before but seeing him fly here, gaining several victorious points with every service ace, it’s hypnotic to watch. He can see all the hard work burned into this, hours of rigid training that presumably got him his injury.

Nevertheless, Tooru doesn’t _look_ as though he regrets his decisions one bit with his smirk of triumph each time the ball connects with his palm, with every successful toss he makes, he soars higher.

“He’s a great player,” Takahiro remarks, genuinely as soon as the match ends and the players are gathering.

“Oikawa Tooru, huh?” Issei muses.

Hajime flushes for whatever reason that he deduces to probably be a start of a fever.

 _Definitely_ a fever when he feels his phone vibrate and his heart starts racing.

 

RECEIVED [Tooru]

_iwa-chan! are you free? can i see you? i'm at—_

Hajime clears his throat, already ready to go.

“Um, I gotta…for a sec…” he stammers to Takahiro and Issei who’re looking at him with raised eyebrows as he vaguely gestures to a general direction.

“Yeah, sure,” Takahiro snorts and Hajime bolts away.

“You know, I remembered what I was going to say,” Issei says smugly. “I went to high school with that Oikawa guy.”

“Ooh, you one-upped Hajime for once,”

“Oh you’re hilarious.”

 

Hajime arrives at the hallway where the locker rooms are ahead and finds one person standing there, fidgeting.

Hajime’s palms are clammy, no point in hiding either way.

“Well don’t you look like a picture of nervous grace,” Hajime says, chuckling despite the fact that he too probably looks like a picture of nervousness without the grace.

Tooru jumps in a start but quickly recovers with a grin.

“Iwa-chan!” he greets, laughing delightedly. His eyes immediately land on Hajime’s still-bandaged forearm and blinks at Hajime questioningly.

“It’s better now, see?” Hajime wiggles his fingers at him.

Tooru smirks. “No more need for my help then?”

Hajime rolls his eyes but he snorts. He points to Tooru’s knee, thankfully he’s wearing his brace.

“How’s your knee, you rebel?”

Tooru sticks his tongue out at him.

“I told you I’m okay, you doting mother, you.”

“I’m just going to ignore you said that.”

Tooru hides a small giggle with the back of his palm, definitely uncalled for as he stands there with his other hand on his hip.

“D-Did you watch…um…” he mumbles, hands fumbling for the edges of his red jacket not looking at Hajime straightly.

There’s a huge lump of affection in Hajime’s throat and he coughs a laugh.

“I did,” he says, immediately seeing Tooru sag in relief. “My roommate and his boyfriend too, actually. We thought—I mean, I—well, you were amazing,”

Tooru’s smile is teasing and smug.

“But you know,” Hajime quickly adds. “You look kinda terrifying when you smile all weirdly like you’ve just killed a person,”

Tooru doesn’t pay attention with the last bit.

“I know just the thing for you to get a free autograph of mine, Iwa-chan!”

“I’m not really asking—”

Tooru ignores him. “Because I was wondering if—”

“Hajime! There you are—oops, sorry I…uh,”

Hajime looks back and sees Issei standing there waving at them awkwardly.

“Issei,” Hajime sighs. “What is it?”

“Ah,” Tooru murmurs, pointing at Issei all of a sudden. “Matsukawa Issei? _Mattsun!_ ”

Hajime frowns, looking at them back and forth.

“How is it that you know each other?”

Tooru just starts snickering as Issei waves a hand off.

“We’re kind of eh, high school batch mates, that kind of thing,” Issei explains noncommittally with motions of his hand. “Anyway I was going to ask if you’re done because Takahiro’s bugging me to go eat somewhere but I didn’t realize you’re in the middle of something so like, please go on,”

Tooru raises his eyebrows. “Oh it’s absolutely—”

Hajime smiles innocently. “You were saying, Tooru?”

Tooru twiddles his thumbs, looking down sheepishly.

“I was going to ask if you’re free later because I know this café b-but! No pressure or anything because you’re with your friends and…”

Issei pushes Hajime towards him so fast and hard that Hajime stumbles onto Tooru’s waiting arms with a loud yell.

“HE’S FREE,” Issei shouts, making a sweeping gesture. “Totally free, this entire week, heck this month he’s free, he’s yours!” he babbles as he starts walking backwards. Hajime shoots him a glare, horrified. “He’s especially free _later!_ Forget I said anything! Free, free, free for dates, BYE!”

He quickly skips away to the end of the hallway before making a sharp turn, still chanting _free, free, free_ ominously.

It takes Hajime a split-second to disentangle himself from Tooru, cheeks flaming, brightly colored curses of _what the fuck_ and _I will kick his ass_ come flowing out of his mouth as Tooru is clearly trying to hold in his laughter.

“Sorry, sorry,” Hajime says, fighting the urge to cover his face with his hands.

“Barely thirty minutes in and you’re already falling into my arms, Iwa-chan haha,”

“For the love of—”

Tooru leans close to him, eyes sparkling and taking advantage of the measly five centimeter difference between them.

“Will you go to the café with me?”

Hajime swears his heart is louder than the clubs he’s ever been in.

“Yeah, yeah, okay,” he manages and Tooru steps back enthusiastically and extends a hand towards him. Hajime stares, confused.

“Nice to meet you again without some sort of injury, I’m Tooru Oikawa, not a murderer and…” Tooru chuckles at the memory. “Won’t sell your information to anyone else.”

Hajime takes his hand and is immensely satisfied to find that Tooru’s hand is as cold as his.

“Hajime Iwaizumi,” he says, smiling crookedly. “Will probably sell your information if you’re being annoying.”

Tooru makes a face at him briefly and Hajime makes a swipe at him that makes him laugh again.

“Later?” Tooru asks him eagerly and Hajime nods.

“Later.”

Later is good. Later is full of promises.

**Author's Note:**

> **if you're filipino and you're reading this hehe the title is from the song by Julie Anne San Jose. if you aren't filipino but wanna know anyway [it's here bc it's really good](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qlo-LEFzJAA) hehe
> 
> "paola why first names?"  
> i dont actually know it jus t happene d i have so many other fics to finish and this happene d hah ha im easily distracted
> 
> [twitter](https://twitter.com/crossbelladonna) | [tumblr](http://crossbelladonna.tumblr.com/)


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